Croatian police warn of rising online investment and romance scams costing victims tens of thousands of euros

Police in Croatia have disclosed a surge of online frauds affecting citizens across several counties. One case involved a 47‑year‑old woman from Međimurje who was lured by an advertisement promising high returns from stock investments of well‑known global companies; she transferred more than €60,000 before the scheme collapsed.

A separate scheme saw a 29‑year‑old fabricate a €15 parking‑ticket notice, photograph the vehicle and leave the false notice on the windshield to obtain payment. Other victims reported paying a 30 % deposit for a mobile house that never arrived and a €70 payment for a doll that was never delivered.

In a romantic‑fraud case, a 55‑year‑old woman was convinced via social media to send over €10,000 to foreign accounts, open a crypto wallet and provide personal identification, believing the contact was a soldier trying to escape a war zone.

Authorities have opened criminal investigations, filed complaints against the suspects and issued warnings urging the public to verify the legitimacy of any financial offer, avoid unsolicited requests for money or personal data, and report suspected scams to the police.